What dangers lurk beneath the waves?  And what the heck is an aspidochelone?  Our intrepid panelists -- a pirate captain and a cleric -- slyly skirt around these questions and many more about underwater adventures!

Panelists:
Darin Payne, Captain of the Ironblood
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford

Are pre-written adventures a useful tool or do they do nothing but force PCs down a pre-determined track?  A college professor and a government agent tackle the issue of who's really in the driver's seat when modules come into play.

Panelists:
Solomon Eldridge, Professor of Anthropology at Miskatonic University
Special Agent Jack McCandless

CONTEST!
The character suggestion contest is over.  Thanks very much for your entries!  I announce the winner after the debate.

Shoutout & Promo:
RPGPodcasts.com

Is trying to make a character as powerful as possible a good thing or a bad thing?  A wizard and a bounty hunter flex their intellectual muscles over the subject.

Panelists:
Archwizard Avan Brightstar, Vizier to the Elven Court of Neverrest
Dr. Joseph "Doc" Anthrax

Intro by Stu, Tappy & Stork of Happy Jack's RPG Podcast

CONTEST!
Only one day left for the character suggestion contest - it ends November 5th!  E-mail your suggestion for a new Great Debate character to debategreat@gmail.com and write CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line.  The winner will receive a personalized outgoing greeting for use with their voicemail!

Shoutout & Song:
Beatnik Turtle - The Song of the Day Dot Com

Are good and evil absolutes for your PCs or do your characters see things in shades of grey?  A superhero and a pirate tackle the issue of anti-heroes in RPGs.

Panelists:
Captain Radiant of the Integrity Force
Darin Payne, Captain of the Ironblood

Intro by J.C. Hutchins

CONTEST!
Just one week to go on the character suggestion contest!  E-mail your suggestion for a new Great Debate character to debategreat@gmail.com and write CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line.  The winner will receive a personalized outgoing greeting for use with their voicemail!

Shoutout & Promo:
The Gamer's Haven Podcast

The idea of warfare as a theme in RPGs is kicked about, pummeled and salivated over by our panelists.  A cleric and a fighter pilot wage war over the concept of waging war.

Panelists:
Major Hal Cross of the Interstellar Fleet (voiced by David Selby)
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford

CONTEST!
E-mail your suggestion for a new Great Debate character to debategreat@gmail.com and write CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line.  The winner will receive a personalized outgoing greeting for use with their voicemail!

Promo:
7th Son: Descent

Our resident bounty hunter clashes with our resident cyber-hacker over the issue of animals in role-playing games.  What's the best way to use them, if at all?

Panelists:
Dr. Joseph "Doc" Anthrax
Reflux (Live via the Neural Net)

Shoutout & Promo:
Eddy Webb - The Whitechapel Project

Some like to search every nook and cranny of a room and strip-search every fallen foe while others prefer to just move on.  A pirate and a demonologist talk about the practice of looting in RPGs!

Panelists:
Darin Payne, Captain of the Ironblood
Reverend Jedediah Black, Demonologist

Shoutout & Promo:
J.C. Hutchins - 7th Son & Personal Effects

How bad are evil PCs?  Really bad?  Or just a little bad?  Should they even be allowed?  Our panelists - a superhero and an undead necromancer - have a little chat about it.

Panelists:
Baron Thandor Karn of the Dark Basin
Captain Radiant of the Integrity Force

Shoutout & Promo:
Starla Huchton - The Dreamer's Thread

Are random encounters a good idea for a campaign or should everything be plotted out?  A fantasy priest and a government agent roll the dice and find out.

Panelists:
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford
Special Agent Jack McCandless

Shoutout & Promo:
Anim5 - Solid Symbols

Here's a shorter version of the Captain Payne Promo -- it's the end section, in which he addresses the listener, by itself -- should anyone need something a bit more brief.

In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I've put together a new promo for The Great Debate! featuring Captain Payne, in which we get a little peek at what life in his game setting is like.  Feel free to download and distribute it in good health! :)

Ever have your PCs dumped in the ancient past or a far-flung future?  Can that kind of thing even fit into a game?  Two panelists from opposite ends of the historical spectrum discuss the use of time travel in a role-playing game.

Panelists:
Major Hal Cross of the Interstellar Fleet (voiced by David Selby)
Dr. Joseph "Doc" Anthrax

Just how permanent should PC Death be?  Two priests squabble over the issue.

Panelists:
Father Vernon Corey, High Priest of the Temple of St. Wilford
Reverend Jedediah Black, Demonologist

Are magic items a good thing for a role-playing game or are they just a nuisance?  A college professor and an elf mull it over.

Panelists:
Archwizard Avan Brightstar, Vizier to the Elven Court of Neverrest
Solomon Eldridge, Professor of Anthropology at Miskatonic University

Our panelists -- a superhero and a cyber hacker -- discuss the use of money in RPGs.  But can they avoid selling out?

Panelists:
Captain Radiant of the Integrity Force
Reflux (Live via the Neural Net)

Shoutout & Promo:
Shaun, Kristin & Randy - This Modern Death